Podcast: How to Plan a Gluten-Free Wedding

Me with my handsome groom!

I cannot believe that tomorrow has been exactly one year since my wedding. Time flies when you're married, I guess! Just in time for my anniversary, I recorded a podcast with my friends Mike and Cam over at The Celiac Project. I share my top tips for planning a gluten-free event including what to ask, how to alleviate fears, and most importantly, how to enjoy your big day.

Take a listen!

If the embedded player doesn't work, click here.

Upcoming Celiac Disease Events March-May 2018

Check out this gluten-free and celiac-related events coming soon to a city near you this spring.  The calendar is very busy this year! Which events are you planning on going to?

APRIL

Schaumburg Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly Expo
Saturday, April 7 and Sunday April 8, 2018
10am-4pm CDT

Schaumburg, Illinois

Tickets start at $5

Use code ADVANCE for 20% off through April 6th

Spring Flours™ Gluten-Free Gala 
Benefiting The University of Chicago Celiac Disease Center
Friday, April 20, 2018
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM CDT
Chicago, Illinois
Tickets start at $250


Gluten-Free Connecticut Spring 2018 Expo
Sunday, April 22, 2018
11am-4pm EDT
Wallingford, Connecticut
Tickets $5-20


Denver Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly Expo
Saturday, April 21 and Sunday, April 22, 2018
10am-4pm MDT

Denver, Colorado

Tickets start at $5

Use code EARLYBIRD for 30% off through March 20

Use code ADVANCE for 20% off through April 20

Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fest
Saturday, April 28 and Sunday, April 29, 2018
10am-4pm EDT

Columbus, Ohio

Tickets start at $15 for adults

Use code Erin2018 for a 15% discount

MAY

Celiac Disease Foundation National Conference and Gluten-Free Expo

Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6, 2018

10am-4pm PDT

Pasadena, California

Expo tickets start at $10 for kids, Conference (includes expo) are $40

Celiac Disease Awareness 5k

Sat May 12, 2018
8:00 PM - 11:00 PM CDT

Cabot, Arkansas


Greater Philly Gluten-Free Expo
Saturday, May 19, 2018
10:30-4:30 EDT
Oaks, Pennsylvania
Tickets start at $10 (on sale March 15th)


Gluten-Free Food Allergy Fest
Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20, 2018
10am-4pm CDT

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Tickets start at $15 for adults

Use code Erin2018 for a 15% discount

Atlanta Gluten Free & Allergen Friendly Expo
Saturday, May 19 and Sunday, May 20, 2018
10am-3pm EDT

Atlanta, Georgia

Tickets start at $5

Use code EARLYBIRD for 30% off through April 18th

Use code ADVANCE for 20% off through May 18th

First Annual "Going Against the Grain" Gala
Sunday, May 20, 2018
7:00 PM – 11:00 PM EDT
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Tickets start at $40


Mid-Hudson Walk for Celiac Disease
Sunday, May 20, 2018
7:00 PM – 11:00 PM EDT
Poughkeepsie, New York
Registration: $20


Gluten-Free Garage
Sunday May 27, 2018
10:30 am to 4:30 pm EDT
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
$10 for people 12 and older

Do you have an upcoming event? Please email me and I will add it to this calendar!

Celebrating 11 Years of Gluten-Free Fun

You guys, I missed my own (blog) birthday. On January 4, 2007, Gluten-Free Fun was born. 

I am not really sure how it happened, but January 4th came and went and I didn't acknowledge a HUGE milestone for this blog. My blog is celebrating it's 11th year!

My good friend David encouraged me to start my blog way back in 2006 and I made it a resolution to start writing in January 2007. I could never have imagined that my very first post way back in 2007 would lead to the celiac life I lead today. I have literally traveled the world sharing my celiac disease story with friends and strangers.

I've written a whopping 1,200+ posts over the past 11 years! I've been left thousands of blog comments from readers across the globe. I've connected with even more of you via social media which didn't even exist when I launched this blog back in the day. I have connected with so many of you at gluten-free conferences across North America and I am always so humbled when you come and say hello.

While my writing isn't as frequent as it used to be and the blog looks a little bit dated (the longest redesign in the history of the interwebs is still happening), I'm still here being the best celiac advocate I know how to be. I write this blog for YOU. If it weren't for my dear readers and friends, Gluten-Free Fun would never have lasted 11 years. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Really, truly, THANK YOU!

Even if my blog goes quiet from time to time, you can always connect with me via email, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. I look forward to hearing from you!

Gluten-Free Fun in August: Proceed with Caution

When I started this blog all the way back in 2007, the celiac and gluten-free blogging community was quite a different place. There were only a handful of us in the world! There was no Instagram or Twitter and Facebook was still mostly a college-only social platform. There was most definitely no such thing as paid posts. I simply wanted to share my story of living with celiac disease since 1981 and how I was navigating the gluten-filled world.

My, how times have changed.

Today, the gluten-free blogging community has ballooned tremendously and almost has become an information overload. There are celiac bloggers, non-celiac gluten sensitive bloggers, Fodmappers, plant-based bloggers, and so many more niche blogs that I cannot even keep track. There are blogs giving great scientifically-backed information while others are using scare tactics. It really has become an over-saturated and crazy place that has become really difficult to navigate.

My friend Annalise wrote a fabulous post a few years ago called The Wild West of Celiac which is a great summary of the gluten-free blogger world today. It sometimes feels like a free for all out there in the world wide web and Annalise summarizes this perfectly in her article. In just the past week, I have seen too many products or services mentioned that are unsafe for people with celiac. These posts include:

• products documented to make people with celiac sick yet being promoted to celiacs
• products that have no FDA approval for treating gluten exposure
• products that claim to test for allergens from the comfort of your own home without needing to see a doctor (WTF?) 
• products that will "cure" your celiac through a cleanse (It won't!)
• products that are unnecessarily being marketed and labeled as gluten-free (water, eggs, clothing, accessories, oh my?!?)

I am not only disappointed in these posts but I am also really worried for those who are newly diagnosed and hungry for any information they can find. This information could be VERY dangerous and make someone with celiac very sick. I want you to all proceed with caution. If you find an article that is too good to be true, it probably is. If a product is being pushed, look to see if the blogger is being compensated in some way. It is an FTC regulation that all compensation must be disclosed to readers!

ALWAYS see a doctor. PERIOD!

Over the next few weeks, I am going to do my best to debunk some of the stories floating around that are putting celiacs at risk or that are just plain false. I am keeping true to my roots of this blog by wanting to help those people living with celiac. I want to share with you links that are backed by science and not by dollars. Basically, I just aim to help those with celiac disease to protect themselves from being duped or glutened. If the post says you can eat a gluten-filled product in a different country or that a little bit won't hurt, IT IS WRONG. Please be careful and double check your sources.

What stories do you want more information on? What posts are floating around that make you go "HMMMM??" Tell me below and I will start digging deep.

Celiac Disease Foundation Gluten-Free Expo

CDF Gluten-Free EXPO

Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, CA

June 3 & 4, 2017

For a limited time, you can buy discount attendee tickets to the Celiac Disease Foundation EXPO. Now you can purchase $16 adult tickets and $8 children tickets with THIS LINK.

Attracting thousands of foodies in the gluten-free community, the CDF Gluten-Free EXPO features more than 100 leading companies from across the country that showcase their newest and best gluten-free products and services.

EXPO Hall Times:
Saturday, June 3 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Sunday, June 4 10:00 am  – 4:00 pm

Discounted EXPO Pricing
$16 for adults
$8 for children

This year's EXPO will feature gluten-free beer tasting, cooking demos, raffles, book signings, photo booths, and more!

The first 500 attendees entering the EXPO Hall each day will receive an official EXPO Swag Bag
filled to the brim with more than $100 worth of gluten-free goodies!

For more information, visit celiac.org/cdf-conference or email info@celiac.org

2nd Annual Celiac Disease and Gluten Related Disorders Family Education Day

The Pediatric Celiac Disease & Gluten Related Disorders Program at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City is hosting their 2nd Annual Celiac Disease and Gluten Related Disorders Family Education Day on May 21, 2017. I was honored to be a speaker at their first event last year and happy to see they are hosting this event again. This event is perfect for both parents and kids. There are informative speakers for the grown-ups and gluten-free activities for the kids.

Sunday, May 21, 2017

10:00am-2:00pm

Natural Gourmet Institute

48 W 21st St #2, New York, NY 10010

To register, please contact Kenza.Hill@nyumc.org. Space is limited! All adults are welcome but children should be ages 7-12.


To learn more about the Pediatric Celiac Disease & Gluten Related Disorders Program, visit:

http://nyulangone.org/conditions/celiac-disease-in-children

Gluten-Free Fun Last Minute Gift Guide

Some of you may be done with holiday shopping. Or some of you may be like me and you haven't even started shopping yet. Well, whichever category you fall in to, you might still have someone you need to buy a gift for this holiday season. And there is always the gift for yourself! Here are some of my top gift ideas for 2016.

Please note, this post may contain affiliate links. 

Nima Sensor The world's first pocket-sized gluten sensor! I've been using this for about 6 weeks now and it really is a game changer. I've tested food both at home and on the road. Most of the time, the food labeled gluten-free comes up without gluten, but not always! This pocket-sensor is a great way to check your food for gluten and hopefully keep you from getting contaminated by gluten. To order: https://nimasensor.com/ Use code: GFGlobe for $30 off a Nima Starter Kit. New purchasers only, cannot be combined with other offers. Expiration 12/31/2016.

Butcher Box This box of 100% grass-fed beef, organic/pastured chicken, and heritage breed pork is an awesome gift. We got a box last month and the beef was some of the best that I've eaten. Whether you are gluten-free, paleo, or just looking for some high-quality, delicious meats, this is the box for you. Monthly subscriptions are available so you can get fresh meat delivered to your house each month. Or you can send a gift box and choose from the chicken and pork box, beef and pork box, or steak and chops box! To order: http://www.getbutcherbox.com/#_a_glutenfreefun Use code: glutenfreefun $10 off your first order plus free bacon!

The Greater Knead Bagels  My friends over at Sweet Note Bakery recently rebranded and are now The Greater Knead. With the new name comes an even stronger mission to provide The bagels are gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, vegan, and Kosher. They are also delicious and come in favorite flavors such as french toast, everything, salt, and cinnamon raisin. To order: http://www.thegreaterknead.com/ Use code: GFGT20 for 20% off your entire order. Expiration 12/31/2016.

Love with Food Gluten-Free Subscription Box Did you ever wish you could get gluten-free snacks delivered to your door every single month? Do you wish you could try a sample size of a bag of chips before purchasing the whole bag? Now you can with your Love with Food Gluten-Free monthly subscription box. If you follow me on social media, you have probably seen me open the box and share what's inside. Now you can order a subscription for yourself!  **Make sure to order the gluten-free box! There are other options on the website and I don't want you to place the wrong order by mistake.** To order: http://bit.ly/lovewithfoodholiday Use code: JOY10 for $10 off a 6-month (or longer) subscription. Expiration 1/1/2017.

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Healthy Goodness Frozen
Gluten-Free Food Box

Did you ever want to try a variety of gluten-free frozen and packaged food without going to the store? Or maybe there are brands that you want to try that aren't available in your home grocery store? At Healthy Goodness, you can try a variety of products by building your own box. Mix and match from the Healthy Goodness frozen selections with favorite gluten-free brands such as Brazi Bites, Kusina, Ciao Bella, or Garden Lites. Use their speciality food filters to filter out your allergens. Healthy Goodness usually throws in at least one freebie at the end of your order too, so you can get an added bonus!

To order: HealthyGoodness.com

Use code: gff5 for $5.00 off your first order.

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Red Apple Lipstick

I have to admit that I don't wear lipstick often but I do use the Red Apple Ralleye Balm every single day and I also wear their mascara when I am getting dolled up. The Ralleye Balm is my go-to for dry lips, dry cuticles, and even my sore nose when I have a cold. It's awesome. The products at Red Apple lipstick are allergen-free so whether you are gluten-free or simply super sensitive, these makeup products are for you. Check out their clearance page too for deeper discounts!

To order: RedAppleLipstick.com

Top 5 Things People With Celiac Disease Need to Stop Doing NOW

1. Stop fighting with your fellow Celiacs. 
We are all trying to do the best we can while living with our individual diagnosis and trying to navigate the gluten-free waters. Yet I see hurtful and hateful comments, posts, tweets, etc. on a daily basis from people in the celiac community. It is so awful that I am beginning to think that being mean and rude is a symptom of some people diagnosed with Celiac. There is an old saying "If you have nothing nice to say, don't say it." I wish the mean celiacs, disgruntled business owners, and popular bloggers would just keep their mouths shut rather than go out of their way to say hurtful things to one another.

Being bullied for having celiac is bad enough. Being bullied by someone with celiac is even worse! This is a tough enough diagnosis for many of us, but you spewing your hate publicly via social media and in comments and privately via emails is not helpful at all. I have actually stopped reading about 95% of the blogs I subscribe too because I find things to be just too negative. Comments are even worse sometimes and just make me sad.

2. Stop trying to push your "treatment" on others. 
As I have said many times before, my celiac is not your celiac. While I am happy that you have found solutions to heal your pain, it may not be the best treatment for me. I tried supplements for a while, but they didn't help me me. I would never purposely eat gluten after taking a "miracle pill" yet I have been pitched at least five pills in the past year. I also don't want to know what charcoal, wheatgrass (yes, really), pH balancing concoction you take after you get glutened. I am probably too busy puking to drink it anyway. My celiac is my celiac and my way of dealing with being glutened is up to me, not you.

3. Stop trying to get me to eat foods I am not comfortable eating. 
I cannot physically tolerate gluten-free oats. (Read more here.)
I do not feel comfortable drinking gluten-removed beer that is derived from barley.
I am anaphylactic to shellfish.
I know the difference between Celiac as an autoimmune disease, an anaphylactic allergic reaction, an intolerance, and a personal preference.

My choice to not eat certain foods is MY CHOICE. Yet I once received hate mail from a store owner in NYC that said I am biased and only show one side of the food story. I also had a demo person at a GF expo stop talking to me and turn her back on me when I told her I did not consume oats and therefore could not eat their cupcakes.

Does a person with a deadly peanut allergy need to post about the pros of eating peanuts on their site?
Does someone who is Kosher need to post a recipe for a bacon cheeseburger?
Does a vegan need to post about their new pork recipe?
NO!!!

Then why do I have people tell me I should eat Cheerios because they are fine when they eat them. This is my blog and I will post what I want when I want and how I want. If you eat oats or sell gluten-free beer in your store, good for you. I am may be a potential customer, but I am not wrong because I choose not to eat those products. You are wrong for trying to force me to buy and consume something that is not good for my body.

4. Stop plagiarism. PERIOD.
Many times in my blogging career, I have found posts online that are my words, my thoughts, and even my photos that were claimed as their own. Gluten-free recipes are stolen all the time and claimed as "originals." Almost weekly, I hear about another blogger getting ripped off. I have been ripped off by both bloggers and even GF companies using my original work as their own. I work hard on my content. When another blogger takes our content without asking, it is very upsetting not to mention illegal. Unfortunately, this isn't unique to the celiac blogger community but to anyone that publishes content on the internet. Just stop doing it. It's not cool and you will get caught.

Oh, and this goes for using a trademarked name as well. Yes, someone is trying to pass themselves off as Gluten-Free Globetrotter® (my other website) on social media. My brand is legally trademarked with the USPTO. Legal action is pending... so disappointing.

5. Stop being a careless celiac and then bragging about it on your website. 
When you publish to the internet and make your post public, anyone can read this post, tweet, or see your photo. This means a person diagnosed with celiac today might be reading your post or someone that was diagnosed more than 35 years ago, like me, is reading your post.

When a blogger or social media influencer writes: "I just wanted to taste that [gluten-filled] food and I will deal with consequences later," you are diminishing the fact that gluten can gravely damage someone with celiac disease. Not to mention, you are knowingly triggering an autoimmune response in your body. A newbie might not yet have enough information to understand this yet which is why they are reading your blog in the first place.

While I know you might think I am contradicting my own previous comments here in #5, I do think there is a responsibility of being a public voice in the celiac disease community. The person knowingly eating gluten and blogging about it makes it seem "allowed." The Instagrammer who continuously posts food that has a high-risk of cross contamination (and tags it so) yet also says they are gluten-free could put someone in seriously jeopardy health-wise. The person who has a celiac twitter handle that says "I just ate at XYZ and I know I will pay for it later but it tasted so damn good" is being careless. I just want you to think about who might see your comment before you post to the public. And yes, I am going to heed my own warnings on this one too.

This may be a bit negative for my audience, but it is something that has been brewing in my mind for a very long time. I have been living with celiac disease for more than 35 years and have been blogging for close to ten years. This community has changed dramatically over time both for the good and the bad. I would like us all to help make things BETTER not WORSE. I would love to read your comments below. Feel free to post your name or post anonymously. It's up to you!

35 Years of Living with Celiac Disease

I cannot believe it has been over a month since I last blogged here. I have been (slowly) redesigning things behind the scene and really trying to figure out what is next for my website. I have always loved connecting with celiac readers through Gluten-Free Fun, but these days I mostly keep in touch via Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.  But I hit a HUGE milestone this week and I couldn't let it go unmentioned.

This month, I am living with diagnosed celiac disease for THIRTY-FIVE YEARS!!

My doctor records from 1981, the first time they thought celiac disease.

Whoa, let that sink in for a minute. First of all, my brain still thinks I am in my 20s so I am not quite sure how I've had celiac for longer than I feel in years. Second of all, that is a damn long time to have celiac. Three and a half decades of living gluten-free with celiac disease. I literally have a lifetime of experience with celiac disease, as I was diagnosed as a toddler. I recently met a few more "lifers" (those of us who don't remember life before gluten) and I am always impressed that we have survived and thrived so long in a gluten-filled world.

I am a celiac pioneer. I was eating gluten-free before it was cool. It wasn't until I was a teenager in the 1990s that I even met another person with celiac disease. This year, I attended a food expo with more than 70,000 people talking about healthy living and gluten-free food. I went to an international conference full of people with celiac disease. Just last week, I went to a summer camp with a week dedicated gluten-free for kids with celiac disease. This blows my mind. I am in awe of the kids of today who have so many gluten-free options across the globe that never existed when I was a kid.

35 years of living gluten-free!

So today, I leave you with this... You are not alone in this crazy celiac and gluten-free adventure. There are tens of thousands of us living in the US that know exactly what you are dealing with on a daily basis. There are ups and downs, especially when first diagnosed with celiac disease. There is a learning curve to adjusting to the gluten-free diet. But you are not alone and we can all relate. Reach out if you need help, I am happy to be there for you. Email me any time! gfreefun@gmail.com

Celiac Awareness Month eCookbook

If you are like me, you might get stuck in a food rut. You know... eating the same things week after week because you know what is easy to make for your family. Thanks to Beyond Celiac for their free eCookbook in honor of Celiac Awareness Month it is time to get inspired in the kitchen again. This cookbook is full of recipes for appetizers, salads, entrees, and desserts which are all 100% gluten-free. The book is free to download, so be sure to grab your copy today. 


Download the Beyond Celiac eCookbook

Gluten-Free Events This Weekend (May 21-22, 2016)

There are so many awesome gluten-free events going on across the country this weekend. I wish I could go to all of them. Which one do you plan on attending? Did I miss your event? Put it in the comments below!

Saturday 
May 21, 2016

Greater Philly Gluten-Free Expo
Oaks, PA

The Rochester Gluten-Free Health and Wellness Expo
Rochester, NY

Gluten-Free and Wellness Expo with G-Free Foodie
Whole Foods Monterey
Monterey, CA

Gluten Free Taste Fest
Plum Market West Bloomfield
W. Bloomfield, IL

Gluten and Allergen Free Wellness Event
St. Louis, MO

Gluten-Free Tasting Expo
Sunset Foods Market
Long Grove, IL

Gluten-Free Wine and Dessert Night
Davio's Manhattan
New York City


Sunday 
May 22, 2016

The Fifth Annual Mid-Hudson Walk for Celiac Disease
Poughkeepsie, NY

Have a great weekend! 

Gluten-Free Summer Camp 2016

It's that time of year again to sign up for summer camp. If your child has celiac disease, you don't have to worry at these camps. They can all cater to the gluten-free diet and many are 100% gluten-free for the week mentioned below. Do you have a camp I should add to this list? Email me at gfreefun@gmail.com

LET'S GO TO CAMP!

May 29-June 3, 2016
Camp Weekaneatit
Warm Springs, GA

June 10-12, 2016
Gluten-Free Family Camp
Milford, PA

June 12-16, 2016
Camp Gluten Freedom
St. Paul, IN
Note: Camp will accommodate gluten-free and allergen needs all summer long!

June 12-17, 2016
Camp Waluhili
Chouteau, OK

June 19-25, 2016
Free to Be Camp
Roscommon, MI

June 19-25, 2016
Camp Manitou-Lin
Middleville, MI

July 11-14 and July 14-17, 2016
Camp Celiac
Livermore, CA

July 17-22, 2016
Gluten-Free Fun Camp
Annandale, MN

July 24-27, 2016
Celiac Strong Camp
Ithaca, NY

July 24-30, 2016
Great Gluten Escape
Gilmer, TX

August 2-4, 3016
Gluten Detective Camp
Bloomington, MN

August 7-12, 2016
Camp Celiac
Vashon Island, WA

CDF National Conference & Gluten-Free EXPO Early Bird Pricing Ends Tomorrow

Join me at the Celiac Disease Foundation National Conference and Gluten-Free Expo on April 30-May 1, 2016. This is sure to be an informative and exciting event for the celiac community. Saturday the 30th has a list of top celiac disease experts and Sunday, May 1st has a gluten-free expo where you can eat and meet with your favorite brands. There are also some expo hall speakers, including me! Join me as I talk all about planning your gluten-free vacation and top celiac travel tips.

CDF National Conference & Gluten-Free EXPO

Saturday, April 30 - Sunday, May 1, 2016

Pasadena Convention Center, Pasadena, CA

The CDF National Conference & Gluten-Free EXPO will offer invaluable insight from world-renowned experts. If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, or if you care for someone who does!

Your $99 full-day Conference ticket includes:

• Admission to all of our thought-provoking presentations
• Opportunity to ask questions of experts and talk and share with your peers
• Complimentary 100% gluten-free breakfast AND lunch
• Complimentary 2-day access to our massive FOOD. FACTS. FUN. Gluten-Free EXPO 

Click here to get more information about our lineup of speakers and to register.  

REGISTER TODAY

For more information, visit celiac.org/cdf-conference or email info@celiac.org

See you there!

Happy Gluten-Free Funuary

Whew... it's been a really crazy few weeks (months, really). I moved to California. Yes, this life long New Yawker packed up her bags and headed west. I had a wonderful cross-country road trip with my boyfriend Victor that showed me beautiful parts of this country that I've never seen before. I also ate my way across this country and have lots to report back on from gluten-free bakeries to not-so-gluten-free-friendly truck stops. Can't a girl get a banana!?!

Now that is February and I am almost settled into a permanent place to live in gorgeous Santa Cruz, California, it is time to get back on track. I have product reviews, personal stories, how-to information, and so much more for you. But I also want to know what do you want more of? Do you want to know where/what to eat? Do you want to hear personal "wins" in the gluten-free world? Do you want recipes. TELL ME! I want to know what my readers want and I want to bring back this blog from a slow end of 2015 and almost non-existent start to 2016. Please leave a comment below and tell me what you want what you really really want. (Sorry, may or may not have listened to some Spice Girls on the way from NYC to Cali!)

In addition to this blog, you can also find me at Gluten-Free Globetrotter, my gluten-free travel blog. I am also Gluten-Free Fun on Twitter and Facebook. Stop by, leave a comment, and let me know you are still reading or if you are a new reader. Thanks!

I live here now. Um, WHAT????? Still in shock! 

A photo posted by Erin Smith (@glutenfreeglobetrotter) on Jan 26, 2016 at 5:09pm PST

A Personal Message to the NYC Celiac Community

After more than ten years of organizing the NYC Celiac Meetup group, I am stepping back from my leadership role as I embark on a new adventure. As you may have read last week, I am moving to California with my boyfriend who is starting a new job. I am taking my gluten-free consulting business bi-coastal and will continue to be a strong celiac advocate for our community no matter where I live.

It is with mixed emotions that I write this post today. I love New York City and the wonderful people I've met through the NYC Celiac Disease Meetup group. It has become like my extended gluten-free family. Over the past ten years, the group has given me much more than I could have ever expected. I've met so many great people that were brought together by this gluten-free connection. Our group has grown to more than 2,000 members and we've had more than 400 events which continues to both impress me and surprise me each day.

I have seen friendships bloom between group members, marriages, births, and sadly even deaths of some of our members. I've met gluten-free travelers from around the world who've made one of our Meetup events a stop on their itinerary. We've shared hundreds of wonderful gluten-free meals together while supporting our fellow celiacs. It really has been an enriching experience for me. I not only gave my all for this celiac community, but I got so much back from my supportive members. This community is really such an important part of my life and I am going to miss it dearly.

I will continue to play a small role in the NYC Celiac Meetup group posting annual events, webinars, and maybe even hosting events when I am back in NYC for work or family events. But from January on, I am passing the gluten-free leadership role to a new organizer.

Thank you all for your support and friendship over the past 10+ years. I hope you all continue to support one another in the gluten-free community and that you keep in touch as I move west.

Be well!

GlutenFreelancer: One Year Later

A year ago today, I officially became my own boss. I had quietly started a consulting company earlier in 2014, but on October 13th I was on my own. I officially launched GlutenFreelancer.com as a way to connect brands with the gluten-free community. I wanted to teach restaurants and chefs that there was more to "gluten-free" than slapping a GF on the menu. I wanted to make sure gluten-free producers were doing things correctly and taking our community seriously. I was finally able to put my years of gluten-free and celiac advocacy to good business use through social media, public relations, event planning, and writing.

I can't believe it has been a whole year already!

I quit my day job in education software to make my dream a reality. I always wanted to have some kind of gluten-free business. People often suggested writing a cookbook or opening a bakery. Since I don't write recipes or ever bake from scratch, this just didn't make sense. I knew I was a strong project manager from my years in publishing and software. I was always interested in the dynamics of the social media world. I also had more than 30 years worth of personally living gluten-free with celiac disease so I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly in the gluten-free product world. I wanted to transfer my knowledge and experience for others.

Over the past year, I have learned more than in the previous 3 or 4 years about running a business, being my own boss, and time management. I have helped restaurants in New York City open their doors and grow on social media from the ground up. I have written articles for national gluten-free magazines and international travel websites. I have been interviewed for major news outlets such as Epoch Times and Korean Broadcast System. I have also networked and connected with people across the globe, which is one of my favorite parts of the job.

I continue to add to my client list each month and I am excited to see what the next year brings. If you are a small business, chef, or restaurant that is looking to connect with the gluten-free community, contact me! I would be happy to give you a complimentary consultation to see how we can work together. Just mention this post. Email me at theglutenfreelancer@gmail.com and visit me at www.glutenfreelancer.com.

Thank you to my family and friends
who continue to be my biggest supporters! 

What Happens When You Tell People You Can't Eat Gluten

It's been a while since I posted a Friday Funny but I felt this deserved it's own post. This has been me for the past 34 years of my life. Explaining what gluten is, what I can't eat and reminding people there is actually food I CAN eat, why I can't just pick out the lunch meat from a sandwich, and so on and so on. Can you relate to this video?

New York Celebrate Celiac Community Party This Weekend (Plus Giveaway!)

On Saturday, September 20, the Gluten Free Calendar Celebrate Celiac™ Community Party returns to New York City! In it's second year, the Celebrate Celiac event is slated to be even bigger and better than last year's first time in the Big Apple. Tickets are only $5 and the first 50 people to attend will receive a gift card to Pala Pizza and a bag of gluten-free goodies.

I am speaking first thing in the morning and will have my own table at this Saturday's event. I am representing the NYC Celiac Meetup group and will also have some gluten-free goodies to giveaway! Think of it as a Gluten-Free Garage Sale. Stop by and say hello.

Saturday, September 20, 2014

Affinia Manhattan

371 7th Avenue, New York, NY
Grand Ballroom

10am-1pm

Ages 7+: $5 at the door*

12 and under: FREE

* 50% donated to the National Celiac Disease Society, a 501 c (3) non-profit organization

Want to win two tickets to the event! Enter below. 

For more information about the event, visit our NYC Celiac Meetup event page!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GFAFExpo 2014: My Gluten-Free Friends

I love free samples, but I love connecting with other gluten-free bloggers, friends, and Meetup members even more! This weekend, I was so lucky to see familiar faces and meet new people at the GFAF Expo in New Jersey. It is so awesome when someone comes up and tells me they read my blog or follow me on Twitter. I love meeting each and every one of you. I wanted to start my GFAF Expo wrap-up by sharing my photos of gluten-free friends!

Me with Gluten-Free Steph

Me with Jen Cafferty, founder of the GFAF Expo

Me with Candice of Embrace G-Free

Vanessa, Executive Editor of Delight Gluten-Free Magazine, and her adorable son

Me at the Enjoy Life Foods photo booth

Me and my girl Michelle (not from DF Mavens, just a fan!) 

Sue, of Gluten-Free Long Island, and her sister Laurie

Me with Jenny from Creative Cooking Gluten-Free at the Super Seedz booth

Me with Ellie, one of my Meetup group members and the winner of my ticket giveaway!

Me and the awesome Kathy Smart, of Live the Smart Way.
So happy to finally meet her in person!

Me with Gluten-Free Jenna

Me and Kathy again, we clean up nice!

Gluten-Free New Orleans (formerly GF Bird), Me, and Candice of Embrace G-Free

Gluten-Free at NYC Restaurant Week 2014

Today starts the beginning of New York City's Restaurant Week. This is actually more like a restaurant month where you can enjoy $25 lunches and $38 dinners in top restaurants across New York City. In the past, I have avoided Restaurant Week because there were limited gluten-free options. This year, I decided to do my research and was floored by how many gluten-free options are now on the menus. I have compiled a list of more than thirty restaurants that have decent gluten-free options on their prix fixe menus over the next month. The only problem I see is not having enough time or money to eat at all of these great restaurants!

Click here to access the complete list of gluten-free options at NYC Restaurant Week. Bookmark the page. I will be updating it throughout the month as I learn of even more gluten-free menu options!